Attachment for shoe stretchers



Dec. 12, 1939.

J. ROMANO ATTACHMENT FOR SHOE STRETCHERS Filed Dec. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Attorneys Dec 12, 1939. J. ROMANO ATTACHMENT FOR SHOE STRETCHERS Filed Dec. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor A tiorneus Patented Dec. 12, 1939 Nrrco STATES Mtt e r earl-cc 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to shoe stretchers and has for its primary object to" provide an attachment therefor which embodies a plurality of wedge members adapted for positioning with- :5 in the shoe between the rear end of the stretcher and the counter of the shoe whereby to prevent rearward slipping movement of the stretcher during its stretching operation;

A further object is to provide an attachment for shoe stretchers wherein the stretcher is designed for stretching the toe of the shoe and including screw manipulating means for the stretcher together with a plurality of Wedge members having a slotted opening adapted to ac commodate the screw whereby the wedge members may be placed in position within the shoe rearwardly of the stretcher to prevent slip-ping of the stretcher during the stretching operation.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in perform.- ance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended. v v Other objectsand advantages reside in the details of construction as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof,

wherein like numerals refer to like parts through- 30. out, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view with parts broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan View.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View through the rear portion of a shoe showing the wedging members forming the present invention in position therein.

Figure 4 is a group side elevational view of a plurality of the wedge members.

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of one of the wedge members, and

Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of the rear- I most Wedge member.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral '5 designates a shoe and 6 a stretcher of conventional construction for the toe portion of the shoe, the stretcher including a threaded rod or screw? employed to accomplish the stretching action, and which projects upwardly and rearwardly at an inclined angle from the rear portion of the shoe.

The present invention comprises a plurality of wedge members designated generally at 8 and which includes one or more intermediate members 9, a front member ID and a rear member, I l.

The wedge members are of substantially fiat rectangular form and of bifurcated construction in cluding a slotted opening 12 extending vertically irough the bottom portion of each wedge member whereby the same may be placed in the shoe rearwardly'of the stretcher 6 and in a straddling position with respect to the rod '5. The bottom edge of the end wedge members are beveled, as shown at [3, to provide a. reduced flat bottom surface l4. I

The upper edge of the wedge members are also beveled, as shown at H), and the side edges adja'- cent the upper end are corrugated or ribbed, as shown at it to provide a finger gripping surface for inserting and removing the wedges in posi tion. The bottom edge of the intermediate wedge members 8 and 9 are beveled to provide a sharp transverserib l l'.

The front surface of the front wedge member in isconcaved, as shown at H, to conformably receive the rear end of the stretcher 5 and the rear surface of the rear wedge member I i is convexed, as shown at l8, to conform to the inner contour ofthe counter N3 of the heel of the shoe.

The upper portion of the concavity I? is provided with a shoulder H to overlie the upper edge of the stretcherto prevent the latter from slipping upwardly.

The intermediate wedge members 8 and 9 may be of any desired thickness and any number of these wedge members may be employed to pro--, vide the abutment for the rear end of the stretch er so that the stretcher may be positioned at the desired place within the shoe to accomplish the stretching thereof at a desired point.

It is believed the details of construction and manner of use of the device will be readily underexplanation.

Having thus described the invention, what claim is 1. An attachment for. shoe stretchers wherein the stretcher is provided with a rearwardly extending manipulating rod, said attachment comprising a plurality of wedge members each having a vertical slotted opening extending through the stood from the foregoing without further detailed bottom of the wedge to accommodate the rod in wherein a vertical slotted opening extending through the bottom of the wedge to accommodate the rod in a straddling position thereon between the rear end of the stretcher and the counter of the shoe, said wedge members including a front member and a rear member, said front member having a concaved front face to conformably receive the rear end of the stretcher and said rear member having a convexed rear face to conformably fit against the counter of the shoe.

3. An attachment for shoe stretchers wherein the stretcher is provided with a rearwardly extending manipulating rod, said attachment comprising a plurality of wedge members each having a vertical slotted opening extending through the bottom of the wedge to accommodate the rod in a straddling position thereon between the rear end of the stretcher and the counter of the shoe, said wedge members including a front member and a rear member, said front member having a concaved front face to conformably receive the rear end of the stretcher and said rear member having a convexed rear face to conformably fit against the counter of the shoe and all of said wedge members having bevelled upper and lower edges.

4. An attachment for shoe stretchers wherein the stretcher is provided with a rearwardly extending manipulating rod, said attachmentcomprising a plurality of wedge members each having a vertical slotted opening extending through the bottom of the wedge to accommodate the rod in a straddling position thereon between the rear end of the stretcher and the counter of the shoe, said wedge members including a front member and a rear member, said front member having a concaved front face to conformably receive the rear end of the stretcher and said rear member having a convexed rear face to conformably fit against the counter of the shoe and said concavity having a shoulder at its upper portion adapted to overlie the rear end of the stretcher to prevent upward movement of the stretcher.

5. An attachment for shoe stretchers wherein the stretcher is provided with a rearwardly extending manipulating rod, said attachment comprising a plurality of wedge members, each having a vertical slotted opening extending through the bottom of the wedge to accommodate the rod in a straddling position thereon between the rear end of the stretcher and the counter of the shoe, and interengaging means between the stretcher and the adjacent wedge member to prevent upward movement of the stretcher relative to the wedge member.

6. An attachment for shoe stretchers wherein the stretcher is provided with a rearwardly extending manipulating rod, said attachment comprising a plurality of wedge members, each having a vertical slotted opening extending through the bottom of the wedge to accommodate the rod in a straddling position thereon between the rear end of the stretcher and the counter of the shoe and means on one of the wedge members engaging the stretcher to prevent upward movement of the stretcher relative to the wedge member.

'7. An attachment for shoe stretchers wherein the stretcher is provided with a rearwardly extending manipulating rod, said attachment comprising a plurality of wedge members of substantially rectangular form, each having a vertical slotted opening extending through the bottom of the wedge to accommodate the rod in a straddling position thereon between the rear end of the stretcher and the counter of the shoe, the lower ends of the wedge members being adapted to rest upon the innersole of the shoe and each having a reduced lower extremity to reduce the bottom contacting area of the wedges.

JOSEPH ROMANO. 

